Lacrosse is an ancient game which originated with the American and Canadian Indians. Traditionally, lacrosse stick handles were made of wood, usually hickory, shaped by the American and Canadian Indians. These handles, being rather roughly handcrafted and susceptible to the elements, lacked uniformity as to quality, weight, strength and feel in the hands of the players. Moreover, being handmade, such lacrosse sticks were often in short supply.
To overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, great strides have been made in the recent past in the design and construction of lacrosse stick heads and handles. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,507,495; 3,822,062, and 3,905,088 to Tucker et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,984 to Crawford et al disclose elastomeric lacrosse stick heads and parts which are highly resilient and have dramatically revolutionized the sport of lacrosse. In the 1970's, handles of metallic construction as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,841 were first developed. These metal handles, in large measure, replaced the wooden lacrosse stick handles, particularly in the men's game. More recently, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,994, lacrosse stick handles have been proposed comprising graphite loaded plastics. Today, lacrosse stick handles of aluminum, chrome, aluminum alloy, titanium and composite material are available on the market. Accordingly, it is now common for lacrosse stick heads and handles to be interchangeable in order to suit the different needs and playing styles of each player, or for repair of a broken head or handle.
Up until now, most lacrosse stick handle improvements were directed to the use of new and different materials with minor additional modification such as knurling or the like as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,918. All handles were very basic in their shape, generally circular, octagonal or hexagonal in cross section and all were straight from end to end. Although the straight handles have proved highly satisfactory, as proven by the universal acceptance of these handles, it has now been determined that due to the degree of competition and the superior skill among present day lacrosse players, an offset handle provides unique advantages as to better ball control, faster shots, improved balance and weight distribution and a more comfortable feel in the hands of a player.
In the 1980's, two Canadian players crudely bent their handles in an attempt to lower the scoop of the head (i.e., the transverse wall connecting the sidewalls) in relation to the plane of the lacrosse stick handle. However, these bent handles were disallowed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which will not permit players to alter handles in any fashion. Other efforts to lower the scoop in relation to the plane of the handle or increase the depth of a ball pocket have been to curve or bend the sidewalls and scoop of the plastic or elastomeric head. One disadvantage of these curved or lowered heads is that the curve or bend creates weaknesses in the plastic or elastomeric head which requires reinforcement that adds substantial weight to the head. Further disadvantages are that a curved or lowered head creates such a deep pocket that it can be more difficult to play with and does not allow a player to more easily grip the handle and feel the benefits of a head below the plane of the handle.